Smoking apparatus



Feb. 14, 1967 A. E. ARNOLD, JR, ETAL 3,303,849

SMOKING APPARATUS Filed Oct. 5, 1965 ALBERT E.ARNOLD,JR. ANTHONY R. DE LA ROSA INVENTORS' A TTORNEY United States Patent 3,303,849 SMOKING APPARATUS Albert E. Arnold, Jr., 1916 W. 38th St., Davenport, Iowa 52806, and Anthony R. De La Rosa, 705 21st Ave., East Moline, Ill. 61244 Filed Oct. 5, 1965, Ser. No. 493,105 6 Claims. (Cl. 131-175) The present invention relates to smoking apparatus, and more particularly to a holder for smoking tobacco products such as cigars and cigarettes.

The conventional method of smoking is to inhale smoke and fumes from the end which is burning through the tobacco. Investigation of this method of smoking indicates that deleterious effects result due to tars, which have a high temperature of volatilization, or other harmful ingredients, being inhaled. The harmful ingredients have a tendency to condense and be deposited upon the lungs and nasal passages of the smoker. The result, in many cases, is believed conducive to a cancer condition.

Accordingly, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for smoking tobacco products in reverse to the conventional method.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide an improved apparatus for smoking tobacco products which will tend to eliminate disadvantages characteristic of conventional smoking methods.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved means for smoking tobacco products reverse to conventional methods which will be eflicient, effective, easy to construct and operate, and which will be beneficial to the health of the smoker.

The present invention is in the nature of an improvement over the structure shown and claimed in US. Patent to N. S. Blodgett et al., No. 2,816,554, issued December 17, 1957. It is well known to persons skilled in the art that, in order to support combustion in a closed container, an adequate supply of oxygen need be provided. Experimentation with an apparatus of the kind disclosed by the N. S. Blodgett et al. patent has shown that there is an insufficient supply of oxygen to maintain the cigar or cigarette burning unless the apparatus is of a size which would be relatively large.

In accordance with the present invention, a cylindrical body member is provided with openings at both ends, one end being adapted for the smokers mouth in conventional manner, and the other end being adapted to receive a cap which serves to hold a tobacco product suspended within the body member. At least one hole is provided in the cylindrical Wall of the body member for ventilation thereby to facilitate combustion.

The invention itself, both as to its fundamental principles and structure will be understood better by reference to the following specification and accompanying drawing in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side view, in section, of a preferred embodiment of Smoking apparatus in accordance with the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view of the apparatus shown in FIGURE 1, taken along the line 22 thereof; and

FIGURE 3 is an end view of that portion of the apparatus which is held in the mouth of the smoker.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, wherein similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout, a preferred embodiment of the present invention is designated generally by the reference numeral 1.

The illustrated smoking apparatus 1 comprises a hollow cylindrical body member or tobacco product holder 3 which is preferably made from a material which will withstand the temperatures incident to the burning tobacco product 4 supported therein. Suitable materials may com- "ice prise a lightweight metal, such as aluminum, or a heatresistant plastic.

The cylindrical body member 3 has one end 5 thereof tapered and shaped to provide a mouthpiece of conventional configuration. The mouthpiece end is provided with an opening 7 of suitable size which will communicate with the hollow interior of the body member thereby to permit the user to draw smoke therethrough. The opposite end 9 of the body member is open and arranged to receive a removable end cap 11. Adjacent to the cap end 9, an internal annular shoulder 13 is provided the function of which is to support a cylindrical screen or perforated member 15. The screen is preferably made from a suitable heat-resistant material and may comprise a wire mesh. The screen has one end 17 closed and the opposite end 19 thereof open and flanged outwardly. The flanged open end 19 is suitably secured to the body shoulder 13 so that the closed end is disposed within the body member and extending toward the mouthpiece end 5. The cylindrical screen is of a configuration slightly larger than the cigarette 4 but smaller than the inside diameter of the body member so that an airspace is provided between the screen and the internal surface of the body member.

The end cap 11 is cylindrical and is of a size that will provide a press fit within the open end 9 of the body member. A central hole 21 extends axially through the end cap and is tapered preferably so that the diameter of the hole increases inwardly when the cap is disposed in closed relation to the end of the body member. The function of the tapered hole is to facilitate supporting the tobacco product 4 therein.

The cylindrical wall of the body member 3 is provided with at least one aperture 23 for the purpose of ventilating the body member adequately to support combustion. Preferably two oppositely disposed holes or apertures 23 are provided thereby insuring adequate ventilation by connecting the interior of the body member with the ambient atmosphere.

The holder of the present invention is employed in smoking tobacco products in the following manner. The end cap 11 is removed from the body member 3. A cigarette 4, for example, is inserted with the mouth engaging or unlighted end thereof in the tapered hole 21 of the cap. The cigarette is lighted in conventional manner. The cigarette and end cap are then inserted into the body member with the cigarette disposed within the screen and the end cap inserted in the open end 9 sufiiciently to close or literally seal that end of the body member. The cigarette may then be smoked by inserting the mouth end 5 of the body member in the mouth and drawing the smoke from the burning cigarette through the hole 7 into the mouth at the same time closing off the apertures 23 with the fingers. This will force air to be taken in through the opening 21 of the cap and drawn through the cigarette from the unlighted end to the burning end thereof. When not being smoked, the user releases his fingers from the holes 23 thereby to allow a supply of air to enter the body member for support of combustion. In other Words, the mouth hole 7 and the holes 23 serve as a chimney.

The screen 15 is not essential to the operation of the tobacco holder. However, it enhances usefulness of the holder by serving to contain the ashes thereby preventing them from being drawn into the mouth.

Although there has been shown and described but a single embodiment of the present invention, it Will be recognized by persons skilled in the art that other embodiments thereof are possible without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims. For example, a suitable smoke filter may be provided in the holder in conventional manner, or another appropriate end cap may be provided which will support the tobacco product in the manner outlined herein. In like manner, the apparatus is susceptible of adaptation particularly to cigarettes but conceivably it can be designed to accommodate other similar tobacco products such as cigars, or the like. Therefore, it is desired that the particular form of the invention presented herein be considered as illustrative and not as limiting.

We claim:

1. Smoking apparatus for tobacco products comprising an elongated hollow body member having one end thereof apertured and defining a mouthpiece and the other end thereof open, and an end cap for closing said open end, said end cap having a central opening extending therethrough adapted to receive the unlighted end of a tobacco product for support with its lighted end within said body member in lateral spaced relation to the internal surface of said body member, said body member being provided with at least one opening connecting the interior thereof with the ambient atmosphere, said last mentioned opening being of a size and disposed in a position for closure by at least one finger of the user whereby withdrawal of air from the body member through the mouthpiece opening causes air to be drawn through the cigarette from the unlighted end toward and through the lighted end thereof.

2. The invention as defined in claim 1 and wherein perforated means is supported within said body member in spaced relation to the internal surface thereof, said perforated means being of a configuration to receive the tobacco product supported by said end cap.

3. The invention as defined in claim 2 wherein said perforated means comprises a mesh wire screen.

4. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein said central opening of said end cap is tapered to facilitate supporting the tobacco product.

5. The invention as defined in claim 4 and wherein perforated means is supported within said body member in spaced relation to the internal surface thereof, said perforated means being of a configuration to receive the tobacco product supported by said end cap.

6. The invention as defined in claim 5 wherein said perforated means comprises a mesh wire screen.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 281,573 7/1883 Smith 131-198 X 1,807,617 6/1931 Boenig et al. 131175 1,866,641 7/1932 Gauthier et a1 131175 2,816,554 12/1957 Blodgett et al. 131--175 2,910,987 11/1959 Ross 131-202 X 3,058,476 10/1962 Atkins 131198 X FOREIGN PATENTS 23,252 7/1883 Germany.

SAMUEL KOREN, Primary Examiner.

JOSEPH S. REICH, Examiner. 

1. SMOKING APPARATUS FOR TOBACCO PRODUCTS COMPRISING AN ELONGATED HOLLOW BODY MEMBER HAVING ONE END THEREOF APERTURED AND DEFINING A MOUTHPIECE AND THE OTHER END THEREOF OPEN, AND AN END CAP FOR CLOSING SAID OPEN END, SAID END CAP HAVING A CENTRAL OPENING EXTENDING THERETHROUGH ADAPTED TO RECEIVE THE UNLIGHTED END OF A TOBACCO PRODUCT FOR SUPPORT WITH ITS LIGHTED END WITHIN SAID BODY MEMBER IN LATERAL SPACED RELATION TO THE INTERNAL SURFACE OF SAID BODY MEMBER, SAID BODY MEMBER BEING PROVIDED WITH AT LEAST ONE OPENING CONNECTING THE INTERIOR THEREOF WITH THE AMBIENT ATMOSPHERE, SAID LAST MENTIONED OPENING BEING OF A SIZE AND DISPOSED IN A POSITION FOR CLOSURE BY AT LEAST ONE FINGER OF THE USER WHEREBY WITHDRAWAL OF AIR FROM THE BODY MEMBER THROUGH THE MOUTHPIECE OPENING CAUSES AIR TO BE DRAWN THROUGH THE CIGARETTE FROM THE UNLIGHTED END TOWARD AND THROUGH THE LIGHTED END THEREOF. 